SACRAMENTO -- In a back and forth contest between two evenly matched teams, it was Southern Utah that prevailed over the Hornets, 4-3, in a Big Sky Conference tennis match Friday afternoon at the Sacramento State Tennis Courts. The match was the Hornets' home opener.

Playing in temperatures that ranged between the low to mid-50s, Southern Utah never trailed, and got a singles win from Salvador Mijares at No. 1 in three sets to break a 3-3 tie and give the Thunderbirds the 4-3 victory. A three-set win from the Hornets' Johannes Gjerdaker had just tied the match at 3-3, but Mikus Losbergs, who battled the flu all week, lost, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, to Mijares.

The loss snapped Sacramento State's two-match winning streak as the Hornets dropped to 2-4 overall and 2-1 in the Big Sky. The Hornets had just knocked off Eastern Washington and Idaho on the road last week. A win would have allowed Sacramento State to win its first three league matches for the third time in four years.

Southern Utah won its third straight while improving to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in league play.

The Thunderbirds won what proved to be a very important doubles point, getting wins at No. 1 (6-4) and No. 3 (7-5) in two very close matches. Sacramento State is now 0-4 when losing the doubles point this season, and 2-0 when winning the doubles point.

Southern Utah took a 2-0 lead after Louis Chabut lost his match, 6-0, 6-4, at No. 3. Sacramento State, however, would tie things up at 2-2 after Donald Hall (6-2, 6-1 at No. 6) and Dom Miller (6-3, 6-3 at No. 2) won their matches in quick fashion.

After Hermont Legaspi lost his match at No. 4 (7-6, 6-4), Gjerdaker tied things at 3-3 with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 win at No. 5. That set the stage for the matchup at No. 1 singles, but Mijares was able to defeat Losbergs in another tight match.

Sacramento State will play at home again on Sunday against non-conference rival Saint Mary's at noon.